English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

substantiation

noun

The act of providing proof or evidence for something.

substantive

adj

Forming the essential or basic part of something.

substation

noun

A facility that converts or regulates electricity from high-voltage transmission lines for local use.

substitutable

adj

Able to be used in place of something else as a valid alternative.

substitute

verb

To use one thing or person in place of another.

substitution

noun

The act of putting one thing in place of another, or the result of doing so.

substrate

noun

The surface or material that something is built on, grown on, or attached to.

substructure

noun

The underlying, supporting part of a structure, whether physical or organisational; its foundation.

subsume

verb

To treat one idea or thing as belonging within a broader category.

subtartarean

adj

Below Tartarus; of the underworld.

subterfuge

noun

A trick or deceptive scheme used to avoid something or achieve a hidden goal.

subterranean

adjective

Located below the ground.

subtext

noun

A meaning implied beneath the surface of a text, speech, or conversation, not stated outright.

subtitle

noun

A secondary title placed below or after the main title of a book or work.

subtitled

adjective

Having dialogue translated and shown as on-screen text.

subtitling

noun

The process of adding subtitles to a film, show, or video.

subtle

adjective

So slight or delicate that it is barely noticeable.

subtlety

noun

The quality of being delicate, faint, or not obvious.

subtly

adverb

In a way that is delicate or not obvious.

subtract

verb

To take one number or amount away from another.

subtraction

noun

(mathematics) The process of taking one number away from another.

subtractive

adj

(mathematics) Relating to subtraction.

subtweet

noun

A tweet that mentions another user without tagging them by name, so that person receives no automatic notification that they are being discussed.

suburb

noun

A residential area on the edge of a city, with its own local shops and services.

suburban

adjective

Relating to or typical of a suburb.

suburbia

noun

Suburbs collectively, especially thought of as conventional or unexciting.

subvention

noun

Money or other help given to support something.

subversion

noun

The act of undermining or overthrowing a system, government, or authority from within.

subversive

adjective

Intended to undermine or overthrow an established system or authority.

subvert

verb

To weaken or destroy an established system, authority, or institution, often secretly.

subway

noun

An underground railway system used for urban public transport.

succeed

verb

To achieve a desired goal or outcome.

succeeder

noun

Someone who comes after another person, especially in a role or position.

succeeding

adjective

Coming next, in order or in time.

success

noun

The achievement of a goal or desired result.

successful

adjective

Having achieved the intended goal or result.

successfully

adverb

In a way that achieves the intended result.

succession

noun

A number of things or people following one after another in order.

successive

adjective

Following one after another without interruption.

successively

adverb

Following one after another in a series.

successor

noun

A person or thing that follows and takes the place of another.

succinct

adjective

Expressed clearly in very few words, with nothing unnecessary included.

succinctly

adv

Briefly and clearly, without wasting words.

succinctness

noun

The quality of being brief and to the point.

succory

noun

Another name for the plant chicory.

succour

noun

Help or comfort given to a person who is suffering or in trouble.

succuba

noun

A female evil spirit, also known as a succubus.

succubous

adj

Describing leaves arranged so that the lower edge of each older leaf covers the upper edge of the leaf above it.

succubus

noun

In folklore, a female demon believed to seduce men in their sleep.

succulent

adjective

Juicy and tender; pleasant to eat.

succumb

verb

To give in to something overpowering, such as pressure, temptation, or illness.

such

determiner

Of the kind already mentioned or implied.

such as

phrase

Used to introduce one or more examples of the kind of thing just mentioned.

suchou

name

The name of a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu, China, lying between Lake Tai and the River Yangtze.

suck

verb

To draw liquid or air into the mouth using the lips and tongue.

suckage

noun

(informal) How bad or poor something is.

sucker

noun

A person who is easily fooled or persuaded.

suckered

adjective

Fitted or covered with suckers.

suckiness

noun

(informal) How poor or unpleasant something is.

sucking

adjective

Still feeding on mother's milk; not yet weaned.

suckle

verb

To feed a baby or young animal with milk from a breast or udder.

suckler

noun

A young animal that has not yet stopped feeding on its mother's milk.

suckling

noun

A baby or young animal that is still feeding on its mother's milk.

suckworthy

adj

(informal) Very poor or of low quality.

sucky

adj

Informal: bad, disappointing, or unpleasant.

sucre

noun

The former national currency of Ecuador, replaced by the US dollar in 2000.

sucrose

noun

The sugar with the formula C12H22O11, made of glucose and fructose joined together and found in ordinary table sugar.

suction

noun

A force that pulls or holds things together because the pressure in a space is lower than the pressure around it.

suctorial

adj

Built for sucking, or living by taking in food this way.

Sudan

name

A country in northeastern Africa, south of Egypt, with a long and turbulent political history.

Sudanese

adj

Relating to Sudan or its people.

sudation

noun

Sweat, the liquid produced by the skin.

suddaby

name

A habitational surname of Old English origin.

sudden

adj

Happening quickly, with little or no warning.

suddenly

adv

In a way that happens quickly and unexpectedly.

Sudha

name

A feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "nectar."

sudo

noun

A command in Unix-like operating systems that lets an authorized user run a task with another user's (usually the administrator's) permissions.

sudoku

noun

A number puzzle played on a 9x9 grid, where each row, column, and smaller 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 to 9 exactly once.

sudor

noun

Sweat, the salty liquid released by the skin's sweat glands.

suds

noun

The foam or froth made when soap mixes with water.

sue

verb

To take legal action against someone, typically in a civil (non-criminal) case.

suede

noun

A soft leather with a napped, brushed surface, often used for shoes, jackets, and bags.

Suen

name

A Chinese surname, a romanization of a name also spelled Sun.

suer

noun

A person who brings a legal action against someone; also, a person who courts another.

suet

noun

The hard fat found around an animal's kidneys, used in cooking.

suey

noun

Informal, shortened slang for suicide.

suffer

verb

To experience pain, hardship, or distress.

sufferable

adj

Able to put up with pain or hardship.

sufferance

noun

Patient acceptance of pain or hardship.

sufferer

noun

A person who experiences pain, illness, or hardship.

suffering

noun

Pain or distress, whether physical or emotional.

suffice

verb

To be enough for a purpose or need.

sufficiency

noun

The state of being enough for what is needed.

sufficient

adj

Enough for a particular purpose; adequate.

sufficiently

adv

To an adequate or sufficient degree; enough.

suffix

noun

A group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or its grammatical role, such as -ness in kindness or -ed in walked.

suffocate

verb

To die, or cause someone to die, from lack of oxygen.

suffocated

adj

Killed or overwhelmed by lack of air.

suffocating

adj

So overwhelming, hot, or oppressive that it feels hard to breathe.

suffocation

noun

Death or loss of consciousness caused by being deprived of oxygen.

Suffolk

name

A county in eastern England, on the North Sea coast.

suffrage

noun

The right to vote in political elections.

suffragette

noun

A woman who campaigned, often through militant action, for women's right to vote in the early 1900s, especially in Britain.

suffragist

noun

A person who campaigns for the right to vote.

suffuse

verb

To spread across or through something, such as light or colour filling a space.

Sufi

noun

A follower of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam that emphasizes direct, personal experience of the divine.

sug

verb

To sell something to people by pretending to be carrying out market research.

Suga

name

A Japanese surname; also the stage name of a member of the K-pop group BTS.

sugar

noun

A sweet crystalline substance, usually made from sugar cane or sugar beet, used to sweeten food and drink.

sugarcoat

verb

To make something unpleasant seem more acceptable or attractive than it really is.

sugariness

noun

How sweet or sugary something is.

sugarless

adj

Having no refined sugar among its ingredients.

sugarpie

noun

(informal) A loving way of addressing someone, like 'sweetie' or 'darling'.

sugary

adj

Containing a lot of sugar, or tasting very sweet.

sugescent

adj

Connected with the act of sucking.

suggest

verb

To put forward an idea or possibility for consideration.

suggestable

adj

Able to be put forward as an idea.

suggestible

adj

Easily influenced or persuaded by other people's ideas.

suggesting

verb

Putting forward an idea, plan, or possibility for someone else to consider.

suggestion

noun

An idea or plan put forward for consideration.

suggestive

adj

Tending to bring an idea or possibility to mind.

sugi

noun

The wood of the Japanese cedar tree, prized in construction and joinery.

Sugiyama

name

A Japanese surname meaning "cedar mountain."

Suh

name

A Korean surname, a romanization of the name also spelled Seo.

Sui

noun

A member of an ethnic group native to Guizhou province in southern China, numbering around 430,000 people.

suicidal

adjective

Wanting to kill oneself, or showing signs of wanting to.

suicide

noun

The act of intentionally ending one's own life.

suing

verb

Taking legal action against someone, usually to claim money or force them to do (or stop doing) something.

suit

noun

A matching jacket and trousers (or skirt) worn together as formal or business clothing.

suitability

noun

How suitable something or someone is for a particular purpose.

suitable

adjective

Right or appropriate for a particular purpose, person, or occasion.

suitably

adverb

In a way that fits the situation; appropriately.

suitcase

noun

A rectangular case with a handle, used for carrying clothes and belongings when travelling.

suite

noun

A set of connected rooms, especially in a hotel.

suited

adjective

Well matched to a particular purpose, person, or set of conditions.

suiting

noun

Fabric made specifically for tailoring suits.

suitor

noun

A man who is courting or pursuing a romantic relationship with someone.

Suk

name

A Korean surname and given name.

sukey

name

A female first name of Hebrew origin.

suki

noun

A regular customer who gets preferential treatment from a vendor.

sukiyaki

noun

A Japanese hot-pot dish of thin-sliced beef, tofu, and vegetables simmered in a sweet soy-based broth, often cooked at the table.

Sul

name

A Korean surname.

sulaiman

name

Solomon, revered as a major prophet in Islam.

Suleiman

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, the Arabic form of Solomon.

sulfa

adj

Made of or related to the chemicals sulfonamide or sulfanilamide.

sulfane

noun

The chemical name for hydrogen sulfide.

sulfatase

noun

Any of a group of enzymes, found in animals and bacteria, that break down organic sulfates.

sulfate

noun

A salt or ester of sulfuric acid.

sulfated

adj

Treated, or reacted with sulfuric acid or a sulfate.

sulfide

noun

A compound made from sulfur joined with a metal or a similar element.